The third in the franchise about the murderous hillbilly cannibal family from Texas. This one returned to the grittier roots of the first movie, and abandoned the campy tone of the second one. Though, there is still a little bit of camp (and we welcome it).

The story follows Michelle and Ryan (human fodder), a couple who are travelling through Texas on the way to Florida from L.A. The two have zero chemistry and after stopping at a creepy gas station, they find themselves on a horrific roller coaster ride through backwoods Texas.

After being stalked, they wreck their car and are kidnapped by the cannibalistic Sawyer family. Ryan is designated as dinner and Michelle is nailed to a chair for later (dessert, perhaps?).

Viggo Mortensen plays Tex, one of the psychotic Sawyer clan. Of course, there’s “Junior” (Leatherface) who wears a mask made out of human skin and likes to play with chainsaws. There was a comical scene where “Junior” is told by his mother he must do his studies. The next scene he’s in his little rec room of horrors, playing with one of those late 80s children’s computer word games. The picture shows a clown and he keeps spelling F-O-O-D and the game tells him it’s wrong. W-T-F? But also H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S.

Ken Foree of Dawn of the Dead fame, plays a survivalist who rescues Michelle in the nick of time. He’s the hero we need, but do not deserve.

After it’s over, it seems like it was not really fleshed out, but for movies like these, it’s usually better if it is over faster.

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